The United States has been thrust into an opioid epidemic, affecting the nation’s public health as well as social and economic welfare. While it may be hard to believe, opioid misuse has been around for some time, with overdose death rates quadrupling since 1999. Opioids, which include prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl, killed more than 33,000 people in 2015, with nearly half of overdose deaths involving prescription opioids. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. The economic burden of opioid misuse in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, which includes the cost of healthcare, lost productivity, treatment, and criminal justice involvement. (more…)

It’s time for the holidays, which means a chance to eat, drink, and be merry. But for those struggling with an alcohol addiction, it can be tough to navigate and can lead to heightened anxiety. The holiday pressures of money, family, and general stress can be difficult for everyone, but for someone with an alcohol addiction, they can be amplified as they are often the triggers that began the abuse in the first place. The holidays can be an invitation for a destructive relapse, but education and awareness are the most potent lines of defense in attempting to combat a significant problem. (more…)

As part of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) did their part to help reduce the opioid crisis. The DEA joined with more than 4,200 local and tribal law enforcement partners to dispose of over 912,305 pounds of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs at 5,300 collection sites. Now in its eighth year, the event has allowed the DEA to collect over 4,508 tons of prescription drugs. (more…)

Depression affects nearly 1:6 people at some point in their lives. It is more than feeling sad or depressed, which is a normal reaction to loss or life’s struggles. A depressive disorder is intense levels of sadness including feeling helpless, and worthless lasting for weeks and keeping a person from living life fully. Let’s look at some of the common questions surrounding depression. (more…)

Social media is used every day to connect with friends and family, post photos, and tell stories. We spend much of our daily lives in a virtual community full of endless conversation. Social media continues an upward growth trend, as network giants such as Facebook and Instagram are seeing an increase in users. As of the third quarter of 2017, Instagram has grown to over 800 million users, and Facebook now sits at over two billion monthly users, the largest of the social media platforms. (more…)

Lifeskills South Florida has been fortunate to work with Heather Hayes on numerous cases involving mental health and trauma and the role they play in addiction. Heather is an International Certified Hostage Negotiator, and the founder of Heather R. Hayes & Associates, where she helps adolescents/young adults and individuals suffering from trauma, complex mental health issues, and addictive disorders across the spectrum. (more…)

Chronic pain affects a significant portion of the United States, with over 100 million Americans suffering, outpacing diabetes and heart disease, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Back pain is the most common pain condition, followed by severe headache and migraine pain. (more…)

Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT), also called cognitive enhancement therapy, helps a person learn skills to manage their everyday life. CRT aims to reduce problems with cognition, such as attention, memory, and executive functioning. As a mental illness progresses, cognitive skills suffer and become more impaired. This decline will begin to interfere with a person’s normal functioning in relationships, at work and in school. Cognitive remediation focuses on improving cognitive deficits by interrupting the diminishment of these skills. (more…)